Three arrests: police smash criminal ATM network!

Three arrests: police smash criminal ATM network!

A few weeks ago, several ATMs blasting in Germany caused a sensation and concern. The police have now achieved a significant success in the investigation and is determined against the masterminds of these dangerous acts.

As part of a large-scale international campaign, coordinated by the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) Rhineland-Palatinate, numerous searches in Germany as well as in the Netherlands and France were carried out. These measures led to the arrest of three suspects, which are presumably responsible for a number of explosions of ATMs that took place between February and April 2023.

Extensive investigations and international cooperation

The investigation aims at a criminal group that operated from several federal states and which has caused considerable damage in recent months. The LKA spokesman reported that extensive evidence was ensured, the evaluation of which is now in full swing. Eight buildings were searched in the Netherlands, and the emergency services were also successful in France.

In Germany, the searches focused particularly on North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt. However, the campaign was not limited to these federal states. Police officers from Bavaria were also involved in the investigation, which extended to several crime scenes. These explosions occurred not only in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate as well as in other areas.

The suspects are part of a larger criminal network, which may also include supporters and logisticians. According to the LKA, the suspicion is high that perpetrators from the Netherlands in particular are active and are all the more risky. These groups seem to be well organized and often use highly motorized vehicles for their escape, which also favors the dangerous operations.

A particularly worrying trend is the increasing use of solid explosives in these raids. This significantly increases the risk to residents and emergency services. In the previous explosions in Rhineland-Palatinate, there were damage in several cities, including Bad Breisig, Bitburg and Wittlich, while further acts were committed in Bavaria.

The explosive situation around the ATMs and the criminals behind these deeds remains tense. The police will continue to work intensively on the enlightenment to put an end to the criminal activity. This step could help increase security in the affected regions and prevent further attacks.

More details on the investigation and background of the explosions are in a current report of www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de to read.